Hamilton, who hit .245 with 277 stolen bases in 690 games over six seasons for the Cincinnati Reds between 2013 and 2018, thanked the organization and its fans with a Tweet in December as the Royals announced an agreement with the free-agent outfielder.

"I’m pretty transparent when it comes to certain players and he fits our ballpark," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said on MLB Network Radio. "We covet that speed. You have to be able to cover Kauffman Stadium."

The Enquirer's Bobby Nightengale wrote last October that Hamilton entered the offseason with an "I have to be better" attitude.

Hamilton, a second-round draft pick of the Reds in 2009, made his big-league debut with Cincinnati in 2013. He finished second to the New York Mets' Jacob deGrom in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2014.